Well I finally got started; almost; first a side trip 575 miles up to Atlanta,Ga. to get the front suspension worked on. See Thread: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=560330&page=1 Not a totally uneventful day; First I met a road "character" his name is Jack a former vietnam marine vet who was riding a 1983 Honda CB 900 10 speed motorcycle with 164,000 most of which he says was in the last couple of years. He is on the road riding everyday, and when I stopped with him to have cup of coffee to talk he was returning from Florida and heading to Bowden, Ga. area near the Alabama border. After we left the Waffle house I accidentally left my backpack on the back of the bike and lost it on I 75. Jack actually saw it and got it(it had my Nano and GPS tracker in it); I thought jack had a bike problem( you could call his bike a 'rat bike')a couple miles into Georgia, and I went all the way back several miles into Florida to turn around to help. I got back and he was gone. Unknown to me he stopped to recover my yet undiscovered lost camelbak, and was now racing ahead 85-90mph to catch up to me and I was doing the same trying to find him. Here is where it gets even better. After 20 miles of the cat trying to catch his own tale I ran into a motorcyclist and his wife who just crashed from a flat tire. I stopped and gave some minor firstaid until paramedics arrived. Now back on the road I gave up trying to find Jack. 40 miles later I stopped for gas and that's when I discovered the camelbak missing. I was sure it was gone forever so I continued on; a 100 miles and a couple of stops later at a roadside rest stop here comes Jack and he has my backpack, damaged but the electronics are intact. Well that was nice! And this is only the firstday! Is this going to be my life style for the next 5 months(Florida to Alaska and back to Tennessee, by way of the westcoast)?

Well, I'm back on track of my originally intended route which was west along the US Rt. 10 corridor. After going uo to Atlanta area to get my suspension upgraded(still needs tuning) I went west to Columbiana, Al. just southeast of Birmingham to visit my brother I've only seen once in 25 years. Then on the road this morning to Battleship Park Mobile, Al. Port side of BB 60 U.S.S AlabamaFrom the BowU.S.S DRUM Starboard sideDrum's Conning TowerHer war record, also has 16 battle stars
There was other Static displays; this was some of the 1/2dozen tanks from WW2 thru Vietnam
For you brown water navy guys: PBR 750 from River Section 535 "Cai Be Ryn"
There was 20 aircraft displayed also like this A-6 Intruder
Or an A-4 Skyhawk
The enemy stuff was also there like this MIG. There was no title display so I don't remember if this is a MIG 17 Fresco?? maybe if there is some Vietnam flyboys that can put a yes on this for me.
And my all time favorite aircraft P-51D under restoration apparently.

Well enough for now it's off to New Orleans and the French Quarter tomorrow.

Well here it goes again(I lost the entire day's report this morning).
After battleship park I continued on to New Orleans. I'm not one for Urban areas much unless something very interesting is happening. More landscape(God made instead of man made), but I was passing by and I wanted to be able to say I at least took a quick look at the French Quarter. So here is my 3 hr.(including lunch) tour of New Orleans:
Canal Street and corner of Peters Street: this is where it begins and ends; the F.Q.=French Quarter is East of here.

Decatur Street: Some of the F.Q. facade de rigor.

Iberville Street: More facades you would associate with F.Q. buildings.

I did say lunch: The Famous Acme oyster House; with its 25-35min. wait. Good thing I was single so they fit me in after 15 minutes. What did I have; well I don't have any need for oysters; so when in New Orleans it's Gumbo and Jambalaya.

Bourbon Street: My view, 8-10 more blocks but much the same,
with some other things thrown in
like:
This park was a lot 50 X 100' with 5 bronze statues of jazz musicians and a local band playing but not much room for a good photo.

And the rest of Bourbon Street: closed off as part of the ongoing Riverwalk Festival going on this weekend.

Royal Street: another blocked off section with a local flavor of Latin/Caribbean music.

Yes the N.O.P.D. was around. Their local precinct was an old french colonial 3 story on Royal St.

From Woldenburg Park: An upbound pusher river tug, to the left in the backround a river ferry.
Some more nautical color. The steamboat Natchez.

One of the two competing bands at either end of the park about a 100 yards apart.
Abita beera local. Try the Andy Gator beer.

Last train out of Dodge: well this is the end of the line for my tour of New Orleans. On to San Antonio, TX and the Alamo,(depending on the approaching storm).

I'm back: Sorry for the wait, but on the road many places in west Texas the WiFi service is nill or nonexistent so I had to pass on the up dates untill I got to a place(currently Carlsbad N.M.) where I can upload then download in a reasonable amount of time(Double bandwidth just to get a single picture online in a report waste's a lot of time(2.5hrs just to do what you will see below).

Well April 12th, I got to San Antonio,Tx. and did another whirlwind tour(1.5hr) of the Alamo and the Texas Ranger Museum.
The Alamo: Smaller and shoehorned into the middle of the city.
The Battle for Texas independence Memorial(couldn't get near enough to read the inscription) next to the Alamo.

Westside Barracks wall(rebuilt)

Bronze layout of the Mission during the period

Memorial

East wall of the Mission (right side as you look at it from the front).

Mission rear: behind me is a small enclosed park to make up the rest of the National Park, none of which was part of the original Alamo mission.

And the West side.

West side Barracks Facade(rebuilt no original)

Daughters of the Battle for Texas Independence Chapel (Added 1936)

Sort of self explanatory

Samuel 'Colt' Walker

John C.Hays:
I'll do a photo of the Ranger then a photo of his 'blurb'

The Hamer 'Clan'
Most famous of them is of course 'Frank' Hamer of Bonnie & Clyde fame
Tools of the trade
FOR Serious close workH. 'Joaquin' Jackson : Think "Extreme Prejudice," with Nick Nolte, and he's still around!

If you zoom in you can read about him.

Bonnie & Clyde's Alert notice for Lawmen as Issued by J. Edgar HooverBonnie & Clyde's hunters: Frank Hamer is the lower left.
A few views of the death car:

There are more pictures, but the time to up and download all is too time consuming.
From here I continued on into Texas hill country and cross the Pecos river toward Del Rio and my first rain storm(I survived) April 13, 2010:
Pecos River approach.
The 273 ft. high crossing (highest in Texas).
Looking south from the bridge is the Pecos merging into the Rio Grande (@ the end of that far wall). Directly across is of course Mexico.
Heading west: Yes there are some hills in the Texas Hill Country
some more hills
Same location: My preferred view; more roads to follow
Next stop Langtry and Judge Roy Bean
Museum entrance
His personal effects
His Saloon and Courthouse
Belly up to the bar for a 'shot' of the Judge's special justice.

The end of the day was spent @ Big Bend N.P.
On the way in:
Santiago Peak: 6521Ft.
39 miles just to get here from the edge of the park. Still a few miles to the Park Visitor's center.
The following few photos are of the Chisos Mtns.

Well after the park I made it to Terlingua,TX for the night and stayed at the Chisos Mining Co. motel.
Evenings dinner was at the Starlight theater and restaurant( I had antelope if you must know). The ghost town's big event was the locals and visitors would sit out side with their drinks and watch as the sun would set on the Chisos Mountains . I had to fore go the pleasure for some maintenance work (still adjusting the suspension).